Once In A While
by jmstevens
Summary: I think it's safe to say that art is imitating life on this one. While I established in The (Not) Forgotten Birthday that Marie has a thing with Dean, there is also a relationship with Sam that can't really have a label put on it. A post fic for season 10's "Soul Survivor"
1. The Night Before

The first thing she was aware of was the sun shining in her window. The second, almost simultaneous thing she noticed was the warm breath on the back of her neck. When she shifted on the bed, she found herself pressed up against a warm muscular body. Whoever was holding her emitted a soft groan and tightened his grip around her waist. She very carefully turned over just in time to see Sam's eyes flutter open.

"Hey," Marie said softly.

It seemed to take Sam a moment to blink the sleep out of his eyes. "Hey" he finally answered back with a half-smile. He closed his eyes again as he kissed her hair, breathing her in again as if to tell himself that yes she really was there. Although, the exact details were still hazy thanks to the three shots of whiskey he drank – or was it four? Five?

"Didn't mean to wake you." Marie kissed Sam's chest. When she did, she got flashes of memory: The way Sam's hungry kisses devoured her skin, her clothes being shed, the half desperate way he pushed into her…She recoiled slightly, letting out a hiss of pain when Sam's hand brushed against her lower back.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't.." Sam jerked his hand back.

Marie kissed his lips, cutting him off. "It's okay, baby. I'm sure it's nothing." She didn't realize what she said. Sam did, but chose not to say anything.

Gingerly Marie manoeuvred herself into a sitting position. As the covers fell away Sam could see several reddish purple marks on her neck and chest area and, when she turned away, the forming bruises on her lower back.  
Sam's blue flannel shirt was the handiest- who knew where the rest of their clothes had gotten to, Marie thought- so she slipped into that. A smile touched Sam's lips when he saw this and, for the moment at least, there wasn't any guilt.

"Okay if I have the bathroom first?"

"Be my guest."

Sam watched her until she disappeared around the corner. He soon heard "That's where my bra went?"

"You OK Mare?" Sam called, half-amused and half-puzzled.

"Fine" was the answer. Then came the sound of running water.

Sam stretched before he also sat up and began searching for the rest of his own clothes. He found his underwear and jeans in a heap near the hotel room door. Marie's panties had been flung into the kitchenette skink. He had to shake his head, finding himself wondering what Dean would have to say about the whole thing, particularly the part about getting so drunk he didn't remember bringing Marie to this mom and pop motel.  
Dean. Suddenly the guilt was back. How was he going to explain being gone so long? And more than that, how was he going to look his brother in the eye, knowing how he and Marie had what could potentially be labelled a relationship. Now this happened.

Marie stared at her reflection in the mirror, tentatively fingering one of the hickeys on her neck. Sam really went at her, she thought. She assumed that she was more than a willing participant especially with the beers she had. Not only that, judging from the slight soreness that was still there between her legs and the hickey marks, the encounter had been….exuberant. Sure being with Dean sometimes resulted in bruises – heck, once they both got rug burns- but it was usually because of the locale, not because of the way Dean was with her.

Oh god. Dean. Marie closed her eyes. What if he put two and two together? Scratch that, he would. Dean was smart that way. She had *no* idea what she was going to tell him.

The cell phone ringing outside the bathroom made her jump. Sam appeared a moment later.

"Sorry. It went to voicemail by the time I found it."

"S'okay." Marie took the phone from him. Sure enough, she was greeted by the steady blinking of a green light, indicating a new voicemail. After a pause she reassured him she wouldn't be in the bathroom much longer. This was met with "Don't worry take your time" and a smile that had something behind it that Marie couldn't quite put her finger on. Guilt? Regret?  
She ran her hand through her dark hair with her free hand before looking at her phone. There wasn't an actual message but Marie recognized the number on the caller ID. Castiel. He was probably wondering what had happened to her and Sam after they asked him if he could stay with Dean a bit longer.

This was getting awkward.


	2. On the Road

Summary: Neither Sam nor Marie really remember what happened after they left Dean in Castiel's care after curing him. Now they are on their way back to the bunker.

Previously posted on Archive of Our Own

On the way back to the bunker, Marie kept her eyes focused on the scenery outside the passenger window. Not that it was riveting or anything, but she could sense that Sam was occasionally taking his eyes off the road in front of him to glance over at her. She knew Sam meant well and she loved his sweet and considerate nature. However now all she could think about was getting back to Dean. A large lump rose in her throat as she thought about what she and Sam went through to first track Dean down and then get him back.

Hannah was still waiting beside Castiel's Cadillac, her gaze fixed on the bunker entrance. She turned when she heard the Impala's approach. Marie was on a mission, she left Sam to deal with the other angel's questions about what was going on and why hadn't Castiel returned yet.

"He's alright isn't he?" Hannah was asking as Marie's hand went to the door. She let out a breath as the door clanged behind her.

Hearing voices, Marie went into the kitchen, finding Dean and Castiel, Dean had a ham sandwich and a beer bottle in front of him. Both of them looked alarmed when they didn't see Sam with her and Marie had to reassure them Sam was fine.

"He's outside with Hannah. I'm sure he'll be here right away."

"I'm here." Sam appeared. He seemed to be satisfied with the fact Dean was eating. The beer, however, he wasn't sure about.

"What happened to you?" Dean wanted to know. By Castiel's gaze, it was obvious he was wondering the same thing.

It was only now that Sam and Marie looked at each other.

"Yeah, sorry. We uh…we didn't think it would be a smart idea to drive after drinking. Well, it wasn't as if they lied.

Maybe it was because Dean was still recovering, or maybe there was something else. But he didn't have a response. Instead he took a bite of sandwich.

"I could actually eat. Did you want me to make you one?" Marie asked Sam.

"Why don't you sit and I'll make you one," Sam offered instead.

"Thank you, Sam. That's sweet," Marie commented before taking the seat that Castiel had just vacated. She looked across the table at Dean. Black eyes looked back at her.  
Then Demon Dean started to laugh.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Mar…"

Marie started awake when she felt Sam shaking her shoulder, her heart pounding in her ears. When she rubbed her eyes, she realized they were parked in front of the bunker. It took her a moment to realize that she had been dreaming. Then she wasn't so sure when she saw Hannah outside, leaning against the Cadillac. She found herself with one foot in the kitchen when she saw that Dean's back was to her and he was rummaging around in the fridge.

"I guess this makes it official that you got your appetite back.

Marie involuntarily held her breath when Dean turned around. She let it out slowly when green eyes looked back at her. Dean felt her body tense, but only for a moment when he put his arms around her—something in itself that was a rare occurrence.

"Where were you?" Dean half-whispered.

"It's lame….but Sam and I didn't want to drive after drinking," Marie said into Dean's chest. Her eyes closed when she felt him stroke her hair.

Sam cleared his throat behind them. "Sorry…"

"Sorry for havin' all the fun or sorry for not bringing me back any pie?" Dean managed to joke.

"Food first, then we'll talk about pie." Marie was already shifting into mothering mode. Gently, she guided Dean to a chair. For the moment, the boys seemed content to let her fuss.

"We don't have much in the house right now. We could do hot dogs..." she opened another drawer. "We could do beef sandwiches." When she got a whiff though, it turned her stomach. "Or we could just stay with the hot dogs."

While Marie was pulling out the onion, cheese, relish, ketchup, and pickles, it was Sam who secured the beverages.

Dean looked hopefully at the fridge. "I don't suppose we have any beer."  
Just the word 'beer' churned Marie's stomach.

"Is that really wise?" Castiel asked, announcing his presence.

Marie had thrown out the expired package of beef, and was now unwrapping the wieners to cook on the stove. She answered for him, "I'm sure Dean will be careful." On the other hand, she thought, a drunken Dean would be a lot easier to handle than Demon Dean. A shiver ran through her at the memory of cowering in her room with the door locked and her heart pounding in her ears.

Castiel looked to Dean for confirmation. Dean half-nodded his head, his voice soft. I'm good, Cas. Thanks."

"You'll call if you need anything?" Castiel's blue eyes were still on Dean.

"If he doesn't, one of us will," Sam promised. Marie nodded her agreement, smiling.

It was only then that Castiel agreed to leave Dean in Sam and Marie's care. But mostly Marie's….


End file.
